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Fair Grounds Invader Littlestitious Captures Beyond The Wire At Laurel

Joel Politi's Littlestitious came with a steady run down the center of the stretch to catch Fraudulent Charge inside the sixteenth pole and edge clear to a half-length victory in the $100,000 Beyond the Wire Saturday at Laurel Park in Maryland.

The 33^rd running of the one-mile Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies was the first of five stakes worth $450,000 in purses on a nine-race program, headlined by the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds.

Ridden by Sheldon Russell for trainer Tom Amoss, Littlestitious ($10.20) completed the distance in 1:36.75 over a fast main track to earn her second career stakes victory following the My Trusty Cat Dec. 1 at Delta Downs to cap her juvenile season.

This year, the bay daughter of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper ran fifth in the Silverbulletday Jan. 16 and fourth behind Clairiere and Travel Column – two of this year's top Kentucky Oaks (G1) prospects – in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) Feb. 13 at Fair Grounds

“The division down in New Orleans is about as good as anywhere. If you look at the Oaks, those are the top two fillies on a lot of people's lists,” winning owner Joel Politi said. “We didn't want to beat our heads against them again, so this was a good opportunity for her to stretch her legs a little bit.”

Littlestitious broke sharply but settled in third under Russell as Street Lute and Fraudulent Charge hooked up on the lead. A winner of six career stakes including five in a row, and favored at 3-5 in her first try beyond seven furlongs, Street Lute went a quarter-mile in 24.71 seconds and a half in 47.71 with Fraudulent Charge glued to her right hip.

Fraudulent Charge, second to Street Lute in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking and Feb. 20 Wide Country in back-to-back starts, forged a short lead entering the stretch after going six furlongs in 1:11.64 while Littlestitious began to roll on the far outside. Russell set his filly down for a drive once straightened for home and kept her to task.

“She's a fighter and she's fought in all of her races. Sheldon rode her just unbelievably well and positioned her down the stretch,” Politi said. “I had a feeling in mid-stretch that she was going to get there, but she definitely had to earn that.”

Fraudulent Charge was second for the third straight race, 4 ½ lengths ahead of Street Lute in third. Journeytothemoon and Buckey's Charm completed the order of finish.

“We live in Columbus, Ohio, and we made the trip out today to be here. Winning a race here at a track I came to as a little kid is just a highlight for me,” Politi said. “Where we go from here, I have no idea yet. Tom and I will talk later, but this is great.”

Founded in 2017, Beyond the Wire is an industry-wide initiative between the Maryland Jockey Club, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland jockeys designed to facilitate safe and enriching placements for retired Maryland-based racehorses.

The post Fair Grounds Invader Littlestitious Captures Beyond The Wire At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Laurel’s Saturday Card Features Five Stakes Races Worth $450,000

Live racing returns to Laurel Park Saturday with a nine-race program featuring five stakes worth $450,000 in purses led by the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies.

First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

The Private Terms, carded as Race 8 and run around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of seven led by 2-1 program favorite Maythehorsebwithu, four-length winner of the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 at Laurel. Royal Number, an impressive Laurel allowance winner Jan. 9 at Laurel and exiting a fourth in the Withers (G3) Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, is second choice at 5-2.

Video of Trainer Brittany Russell (Maythehorsebwithu):

The one-mile Beyond the Wire kicks off the stakes action in Race 3. Favored at even money on the morning line is Street Lute, stretching out beyond seven furlongs in search of her sixth consecutive stakes victory and eighth overall. Among her rivals is Fraudulent Charge, second to Street Lute in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking and Feb. 20 Wide Country at Laurel.

Also on the card are the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles (Race 6), and a pair of $75,000 stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses – the Not For Love for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs (Race 5) and Conniver for fillies and mares 3 and older at seven furlongs (Race 7).

Starting Saturday, following executive orders from both Gov. Larry Hogan and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Laurel will increase its building capacity to allow up to 400 spectators. Current restrictions and physical distancing guidelines remain in place.

Beginning Sunday, March 14, post time moves to 12:40 p.m. for the duration of Laurel's 2021 winter meet, which runs through Sunday, March 28.

Sunday's feature comes in Race 8, a second-level optional claiming allowance for older females sprinting 5 ½ furlongs led by 5-2 program favorite Trunk of Money. Race 7 is a starter optional claimer that includes new gelding Mine Not Mine, second in the Miracle Wood and third in the Private Terms last year.

Eight 3-year-olds will go one mile in Race 3, a maiden special weight where Imagine Hongkong is the lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite. The field of eight also includes Pharoah's Fury, a second-time starter by 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, and Dream Big Dreams, a $115,000 2-year-old in training purchase last May trained by Brittany Russell.

The post Laurel’s Saturday Card Features Five Stakes Races Worth $450,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Laurel Park: Derby Points On The Line In Arkansas

A million-dollar purse and Kentucky Derby qualifying points are on the line in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park as it offers points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top four finishers. The Rebel is among five stakes races to be run Saturday at Oaklawn on a card that also features champion Whitmore making his seasonal debut in the $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes.

Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020 and No. 6 ranked horse on the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll, is also set to be in action as she makes her 4-year-old debut live on TVG in Saturday's Grade 1 Beholder Mile.

The Rebel will be televised live on TVG. It will also be shown on NYRA's YouTube channel and on the Fox Sports app as part of the America's Day at the Races telecast.

America's Day at the Races, presented by Claiborne Farm and America's Best Racing, will air on FS1 and FS2 Saturday and Sunday showing races from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park and other tracks.

In addition to racing from Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park, TVG will feature racing from Gulfstream Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

Saturday, March 13

1:28 p.m.–$100,000 Beyond The Wire Stakes at Laurel Park

After five wins in a row, Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute will try something new when she puts her streak on the line in Saturday's $100,000 Beyond the Wire Saturday at Laurel Park. A neck loss in the Maryland Million Lassie last fall remains the only blemish on Street Lute's resume. She has since reeled off wins in the Smart Halo, Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Gin Talking en route to being voted Maryland's champion 2-year-old filly of 2020, and the Xtra Heat and Wide Country so far in 2021.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL031321USA3-EQB.html

2:27 p.m.–$75,000 Not For Love Stakes at Laurel Park

Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable's Whereshetoldmetogo, winner of back-to-back stakes to end his 2020 campaign, returns looking to make it three in a row in Saturday's $75,000 Not For Love. Now trained by Brittany Russell, 6-year-old Whereshetoldmetogo is a six-time stakes winner with $541,291 in purse earnings. Four of his stakes wins have come from six starts at Laurel – the 2018 Concern and Star de Naskra and 2020 Frank Y. Whiteley and Fire Plug.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL031321USA5-EQB.html

3:00 p.m.–$100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel Park

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker, second or third in six of his last seven starts, looks to break through with a return to his multiple stakes-winning form in Saturday's $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel Park. Cordmaker's resume shows eight wins, four in stakes, thirds in the historic Pimlico Special (G3) in 2019 and 2020 and a bankroll of more than $500,000 from 27 lifetime starts, but the 6-year-old son of two-time Horse of the Year and 2014 Hall of Famer Curlin hasn't won in 10 starts since the DTHA Governors Day Handicap in September 2019.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL031321USA6-EQB.html

3:03 p.m.—$350,000 Grade 2 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park on FS2 and TVG

Shedaresthedevil, winner of 2020 Kentucky Oaks, will make her seasonal debut in the Azeri Stakes, the final major local prep for the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 17. Trained by Brad Cox, Shedaresthedevil will be making her first start since finishing third in her first race against older horses, the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes October 4 at Keeneland. The daughter of Daredevil had won her previous three starts, including the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks last September 4, where she defeated eventual divisional champion Swiss Skydiver.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP031321USA5-EQB.html

3:34 p.m.–$75,000 Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park

Three Diamonds Farm's Grade 3-placed Kiss the Girl, second last out in her return to stakes competition, will get another shot at becoming a stakes winner in the $75,000 Conniver sprinting seven furlongs Saturday. The Conniver will be the 12^th career start for Kiss the Girl, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, and fourth since joining training Mike Trombetta's string. Prior to that she ran twice for Todd Pletcher, finishing second by a neck in the 2019 Schuylerville (G3), and won one of five 2020 starts for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL031321USA7-EQB.html

4:07 p.m.–$100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu, who became a stakes winner in dominant fashion last month, will stretch out for his longest race to date off his shortest turnaround yet in Saturday's $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park. Maythehorsebwithu returns in 21 days following a four-length triumph in the Miracle Wood, which was rescheduled from Feb. 13 due to inclement weather. Trainer Brittany Russell left the decision to run up to the bay gelding, who breezed a half-mile 48 seconds March 6 at Laurel, third-fastest of 60 horses.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL031321USA8-EQB.html

5:45 p.m.—$200,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park on FS2 and TVG

Whitmore, the champion male sprinter of 2020, will be making his seasonal debut in the Hot Springs Stakes where he will attempt to win the six-furlong test for a fifth consecutive year. The 8-year-old gelding used his famed kick to capture the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland last November en route to earning the Eclipse Award for divisional honors. Trained by Ron Moquett, Whitmore first won the Hot Springs Stakes in 2017.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP031321USA10-EQB.html

6:16 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on TVG

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert bids for an eighth Rebel victory when he sends out unbeaten Concert Tour and recent maiden graduate Hozier in Saturday's $1 million race. Concert Tour, who will be making his two-turn debut in the Rebel, broke his maiden January 15 at Santa Anita and won the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes February 6 at Santa Anita Park. Among Concert Tour's top rivals in the Rebel are Caddo River, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn on January 22, and Keepmeinmind, who captured the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP031321USA11-EQB.html

6:46 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Bob and Jackie would appear to rate a big chance cutting back in distance for Richard Baltas as he faces sharp recent winner Gregorian Chant, defending champ Cistron and Jolie Olimpica (BRZ), who will be facing males for the first time in North America in Saturday's San Simeon Stakes. Bob and Jackie has won four out of his 10 lifetime starts and will be sprinting for the first time since his debut at age two in 2018 when he was a close second going 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita's hillside turf course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA031321USA7-EQB.html

7:20 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Swiss Skydiver, the reigning champion 3-year-old filly, is poised to make her 2021 debut as she heads a field of eight older fillies and mares in Saturday's Beholder Mile. Trained by Kenny McPeek and owned by Peter J. Callahan, Swiss Skydiver, who defeated males in the Preakness Stakes, has been idle since running seventh in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland last November. The daughter of Daredevil was impressive in her lone Santa Anita appearance, going gate to wire while taking the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks by four lengths last June 6.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA031321USA8-EQB.html

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Friday Racing at Laurel Cancelled Due to EHV-1

As Laurel Park continues to face lock downs due to EHV-1, the Maryland track cancelled Friday's nine-race program as a number of horses entered on the Mar. 12 card are now under quarantine. The Maryland Jockey Club will try to have the remaining horses–that aren't under quarantine–from Friday's program fill cards on Saturday and Sunday. Laurel will remain open for simulcasting Friday. The Stronach 5, Friday's national wager, was to feature two races from Laurel. It has been postponed to Mar. 19 with a carryover of $154,931.

Statement issued by 1/ST RACING's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Dionne Benson, Regarding EHV1 at the Maryland Jockey Club Laurel Park:

“As reported, late in the day on Mar. 8, the Maryland Jockey Club was notified that a horse stabled at Laurel Park tested positive for equine herpes virus (EHV1). As per our standard veterinary protocols, the affected horse was immediately removed from the barn and is currently being treated at Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center.

Upon notification of the diagnosis, the Maryland Jockey Club, again per standard veterinary protocol, immediately closed the backside prohibiting horses from leaving the stable area.

Thanks to the contact tracing efforts of the veterinary team, I can confirm that the ill horse had recently been in two different barns and other horses in those two barns had contact with horses in two additional barns. Out of an abundance of caution for all other horses on-site, the Maryland Jockey Club quarantined barns 1, 4, 10 and 11. These barns are now under strict monitoring and quarantine requirements, including separate training from other horses at Laurel Park, prohibition from racing for horses from these barns, and increased biosecurity protocols. The team at the Maryland Jockey Club is working with the Maryland State Veterinarian, the Maryland Racing Commission, and the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to ensure all mandated biosecurity protocols are strictly followed.

As has been reported, the backside at Laurel Park will remain closed to horses shipping out for at least two weeks from the notification date, Mar. 8, and live racing is cancelled for Friday, Mar. 12. Pimlico Race Course will also be subject to the same restrictions on horses leaving the stable area.

As of this morning, no additional cases of EHV1 have been identified at the Maryland Jockey Club. The 1/ST RACING veterinary team will continue to monitor this situation closely and will provide additional updates as they become available and are relevant.

Given the current high prevalence of EHV1 in the equine communities, our teams at all of our 1/ST RACING venues have been instructed to increase health check monitoring for all horses on our premises.

The health and safety of the horses who are race, train and stable at 1/ST RACING venues is top priority. The Maryland Jockey Club will continue to follow the requirements and recommendations of the Maryland State Veterinarian until the individual barn and backside quarantines can be safely lifted.

On behalf of the Maryland Jockey Club and 1/ST RACING, I would like to thank the horsemen for their ongoing cooperation and patience.”

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